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Northern Trust response to family tragedy heartless - McKay

North Antrim Sinn Féin MLA Daithí McKay has said that the Health Minister should apologise for the way that a family from Ballycastle were treated by the Northern Trust following the death of their baby after a serious incident at Causeway hospital in 2008.

Louise McAuley was denied a Caesarean section due to the unavailability of an operating theatre and her daughter Erin tragically lost her life due to complications in her birth.

Mr McKay said

“Perhaps what is most shocking about this case is the fact that the Northern Trust has done their utmost to deny any liability in the tragic death of Erin McAuley.

“The McAuley family had to commission their own consultant’s report into what happened at Causeway Hospital and then had to take the Trust to the High Court in 2011 before any information was forthcoming.

“Six years later the McAuleys have yet to receive an apology from the Trust and the internal investigation into the incident was never disclosed to them.

“I commend the McAuleys on their determination to find out what happened in those tragic hours before Erin lost her life.

“They have taken Erin’s case to the courts so that no other family should have to go through a similar ordeal in search of what happened in the Causeway Hospital.

“I hope the Trust learns the lessons from this case as no family who lose a child like this should then have to fight to get the truth.” CRÍOCH/END